Gas-engine igniter.



No. 721,065. PATENTED FEB. 17 1903. L. P. MOOERS.

GAS ENGINE IGNITBR. APPLICATION FILED 001'. 24, 1901.

I0 IODEL.

W tin eases UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS P. MOOERS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS,TO PEERLESS MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF WESTVIRGINIA.

GAS-ENGINE IIGNITER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,065, dated February1'7, 1903.

Application filed October 24, 1901. Serial No. 79,750. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS P. MOOERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gas-Engine Igniters, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings.

The invention is a spark-producing igniter adapted especially for usewith explosion-err gines to produce at the proper time a spark, orrather a discharge of sparks, for igniting the explosive mixture in thecylinder. Devices having a similar function and'a somewhat similar modeof operation have been heretofore used and are known in the art astremblers; but these prior devices are not sure to ignite the explosivemixture at the proper time, nor is it certain that they may not operateand ignite the mixture at the wrong time. My invention has thecharacteristic from which this name is derived, as will appear from thefollowing description.

The primary object of myinvention is to provide a construction whichwill certainly produce at the proper time a discharge ofigniting-sparks, but which is so contrived that it will not produce suchspark or sparks at any other time.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an edge View of the device with theinclosing casing in section. Fig. 2 is a side view with thecasingcover'removed. Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively views of the twocams.

Referring to the parts by letters, A and B represent, respectively, twocontact-points, which are secured to the same metallic bar 0, throughwhich they are adjustable (being screw-threaded) and by which they areelectrically connected.

D and E represent,respectively,two springs, which are secured to asuitable support K and insulated from each other, but are electricallyconnected with the two binding-posts d and e, respectively. Thesesprings under normal conditions do not touch the contactpoints A and B.

F represents a shaft which is to be constantly rotated through anysuitable connections with the driving-shaft of the engine. Attached tothis shaft F are the two cams H and J, which are placed so that the camprojections on their peripheries may engage with the fingers d and 6',respectively, attached to the springs D and E. The cam J is a diskhaving a cam projection j substantially in the shape of a ratchet-tooth.The cam projection h on the disk H is inclined on both sides preferably.As these two cams r0- tate in unison, their inclined faces engage withthe fingers on the two springs, respectively, and bend the springs sothat they respectively engage with the contact-points A and B. At thistime the primary circuit m of the induction-coil (indicatedconventionally at M) is closed. Almost instantly by the further rotationof said cams the tooth j passes out of engagement with the finger e,whereupon the spring E flies away from the contactpoint B, therebybreaking the primary circuit and causingaspark to pass between the twoclosely-placed terminals on m of the secondary circuit m, whichterminals will project into the explosion-chamber P of the engine. Thespring E will for a short space of time vibrate into and out of contactwith the point B, during which interval of time the cam projection h onthe cam H will hold the spring D in contact with the point A, and theresult will be a discharge of sparks, one of which will certainly ignitethe explosive mixture. When the cam projection h passes from beneath thefinger d on the spring D, this spring moves out of contact with thepoint A. The circuit is now broken in two places, and it is not at allprobable that through any accident both springs will simultaneouslycontact with the points A and B, and therefore it is not possible thatany spark shall be created except at the desired timenamely, when thetwo cam projections j and h, acting on the springs E and D, have closedboth breaks in the primary circuit and the spring E has been allowed tofly away from the point B.

The described mechanism is inclosed in a suitable casing N.

The drawings show and the foregoing specification describes what isregarded as the simplest and cheapest practical embodiment of theinvention. It is possible, however, to change the specific constructionto a considerable extent without departing from the invention hereinbroadly claimed. The invention calls for a normally open primary circuithaving two breaks. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for closingone of these breaks at the proper time and for holding it closed as longas it is desired to have the vibrator operate. The second break,however, must be closed by means which include a vibrator and means forimparting to it the necessary vibration to cause it to rapidly make andbreak the circuit during a part or all of the time when the other breakin the circuit is closed by the mechanism provided for that purpose.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In an igniter forgas-engines, a circuit having two breaks therein and a generator forfurnishing the same with sparking current, combined with a pair ofrotatable cams, a contact device operated by one of said cams forautomatically closing one of said breaks during an interval of time, anda vibrator operated by the other cam for rapidly and re peatedly openingand closing said second break in the circuit during the interval of timethe first break is closed, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

2. In an igniter for gas-engines, a circuit having two breaks thereinand a' generator for furnishing sparking current thereto, a rotatableshaft, a pair of cams thereon, a pair of contact devices at one of saidbreaks adapted to be closed by one of said cams for an interval of time,a contact device and Vibrating spring at the other of said breaksadapted to be closed and released by the other of said cams during theinterval of time the first break is closed, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

3. In an igniter for gas-engiues, the combination of twoelectrically-connected contact devices, a movable device held normallyout of contact with one of said contact devices, mechanism forautomatically and periodically moving the same into contact with thesaid contact device, a vibratory spring which is normally out of contactwith theother one of said contact devices, and a movable member whichperiodically bends said vibratory spring into contact with itscorresponding contact device and then suddenly releases it and thusallows it to make and break several contacts with the correspondingcontact device, said first-named movable device remaining in contactwith its contact device for some time after said sudden release to allowsaid several makes and breaks to be efiective, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

4. In an igniter for gas-engines, the combination of an induction-coilhaving in its secondary circuit a break whose terminals are placed closetogether, and having in its primary circuit two breaks, with twoelectrically-connected contact-points which will be in the primarycircuit when the same is closed, two springs normally out of contactwith said points but adapted to be moved into contact therewith and to,thereby complete the primary circuit, and two simultaneously-rotatingcams having respectively the cam projection 71 and the cam projectionjwhich engage with saidtwo springs and operate them, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

5. In an igniter for gas-engines as the means for closing and breakingan electric circuit, the combination of two electrically-connectedadjustable contact-points, two springsconnected respectively with theterminals of said circuit, which springs are normally out of contactwith said contact points but are adapted to be moved into contacttherewith and to thereby close said circuit, and twosimultaneously-rotating cams having respectively the cam projection hand the cam-tooth jwhich engage with said springs, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

LOUIS P. MOOERS.

Witnesses:

L. H. KITTREDGE, CHAS. W. EHRKE.

